If you have time, please take a look at the calendar page of the web site. We have added several new clinics to the calendar!!

Salute!

This past month saw a good deal of discussion over the Yahoo Group regarding several topics important to SNC. The bulk of the discussions were in regard to the venue change for the Championship show from Murieta Equine Complex to CTETA Horse Park in Woodside.

Numerous concerns were raised and discussed over the boards. Beth organized our collective concerns and wrote a letter stating these concerns to our CDS Northern representative Sandra Labrucherie and CDS At-Large Michelle Vaughn (who lives in Elk Grove, CA). Their responses to this letter were also shared on the Yahoo group.

The SNC Board met on April 11th and further discussed the change. After much discussion, we've agreed to hold off additional public comments to the CDS board until after the 2007 Championships take place. Only after the show can we connect again and review Woodside as a show facility fairly and rationally.

April Show and Junior Benefit Tack Sale

The first show of the season will be April 28th and 29th at Clover Leaf Equestrian Center. We have volunteers lined up and are ready to go. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help with the show. A special thanks to Joan Wright and Victoria Myer for volunteering to be local managers for the show and to Joan for hosting the judge.

Dont forget the closing date for the show is April 19th.

A Junior/Young Rider benefit tack sale will be held during the April show on Saturday and Sunday. If you have tack items, or horsey related items you would like to donate, please contact Cindy to set up a drop off time and place.

CDS Plaques for 2006

We've heard from quite a few of you asking how to get a hold of your CDS plaques from 2006.
CDS plaques from 2006, and some left over from 2005, will be available for pick up at the April show. Please remember to stop by the show office to collect yours ~ and congratulations everyone!

Shelley Edwards Clinic

There are still a few open slots for the Shelley Edwards Clinic May 5th and 6th. The cost is $150 for both days. Auditing is $10/day (clinic sign up is mandatory for participation in the mat work and pilates work out. Auditors are welcome to watch.)

The clinic will proceed as follows:

Saturday, May 5, 2007

8:30

Registration & Introduction

9:00

Overview of anatomy as it relates to riding, Overview of how Pilates
improves riding skill.

9:45 - 10:00

Break

10:00 - 11:30

Pilates mat work consisting of basic principles, warm up routine, and
exercises.

"To those of us in the equestrian field, our horses are the most important part of our riding equation. We are more careful about our equine's health and feeding than we are about our own. We read and analyze about nutrition, vaccinations, worming, training, and conditioning. And, it's for those reasons that I feel this program is invaluable for all riders. We owe it to our equine friends to be as knowledgeable about ourselves and our health as riders as we are about theirs.

We are offering a clinic designed to help riders develop their own body awareness and condition in order to be able to be an equal partner to their horses. The benefits?

Being in better shape and feeling better about ourselves.

Increase balance and posture through stronger core.

Being able to communicate better with our horses and achieving better
performance.

To have a partnership with our horses instead of an argument.

Pilates exercise focuses on the awareness, fluid motion and strengthening of the core muscles. These are the muscle systems that apply to all athletes: gymnasts, dancers, skiers, etc. Being able to control oneself through core strength and balance allows the riders legs and arms to be independent and available to give more effective aids to your horse.

For any rider in any discipline, the ability to control one's own body in order to influence the body of the horse is paramount. Otherwise, we are compromising the ability of the horse to perform for us. Good horsemanship is good horsemanship, no matter what type of saddle we use. With the help of Pilates techniques, we can easily become competent riders.

The clinic consists of 2 days and incorporates an introduction to pilates and applying those concepts to your riding. Saturday morning, I will instruct an introduction to pilates concepts and then you will participate in actual mat exercises, learning how to focus on core strength, control and balance. I will provide an overview of rider biomechanics and how the focus of pilates will help in your riding. Saturday afternoon, I will conduct 1/2 hour sessions, applying the concepts of pilates and establishing an aid system understandable by your horse.

The riding sessions will be conducted on your own horse.

On Sunday morning, I will conduct a mat exercise class and answer questions that may have come up. Then we will continue in the afternoon with 1/2 hour lessons and expand on the instruction from Saturday." ~ Shelley Edwards.

The SNC Junior membership has been hard at work brainstorming various fund raising ideas. We already have a Junior Benefit Tack Sale being held at the April Show at Clover Leaf. In addition, Juniors are working on a fund raising raffle idea that may be held in conjunction with Dressage in the Sierra. They have some terrific ideas we are really looking forward to.

In the meantime, Kors Studio, an innovative fitness facility located in South Reno, will give 10% of your first month's dues to the SNC-CDS Juniors when you join and mention the SNC Juniors.

Do something good for yourself, your riding, and the Sierra Nevada Chapter Juniors. Call today and schedule your free demo!

We are currently looking for show managers for the July show for 2007. We have enlisted Connie's help again this year and need a local SNC-CDS member to be on site. Please contact any board member if you are interested in helping out!

We'd also like to get an early start on helpers for Dressage in the Sierra. The show will be a 2-part show this year with Friday being a separate show from Saturday and Sunday. So we're going to need all the help we can get! Please let us know if you're willing to help out.

If anyone has any interesting stories or information for inclusion in the newsletter please submit it to snc-cds@charter.net. Write to me with some of your personal stories that you would like to share.